Adolescent self-esteem related to feelings toward parents and friends

The study was conducted to see if there is a developmental process whereby the self-esteem of young adolescents is more closely related to feelings toward parents and that of older adolescents more closely related to feelings toward best friends. The subjects, 138 eighth-graders and 139 eleventh-graders, completed the Inventory of Family Feelings with regard to parents and best male and female friends and the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. Self-esteem was found to be significantly related to feelings toward parents and toward friends for adolescents of both grades. Feelings toward parents were generally more closely related to self-esteem than feelings toward friends, although the relationship between self-esteem and feelings toward parents was decreased with the older group. If a developmental shift in the relationship between self-esteem and feelings toward friends occurs, it does so slowly, showing only a slight beginning by the eleventh grade.Received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Major interests are self-concept and psychosocial stress.